Electrical contact making device



1937. J. I. MICHEL 2,090,544

ELECTRICAL CONTACT MAKING DEVICE Original Filed May 21, 1935 Jwas ZMZ'K/k/ INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 17, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFlCE Application May 21, 1935, Serial No. 22,598 Renewed July 15, 1937 1 Claim.

This invention relates to electrical contact making devices, and its general object is to provide a contact finger that is primarily designed for use with drum type controllers, to eliminate and replace the sliding type finger now in general use, and the disadvantageous features relative thereto, as my finger not only performs its intended function in an efficient manner, and is far superior to the sliding type, but will do so for a prolonged period of time without wearing or burning out its contact face or that of its companion segment of the controller.

A further object of the invention is to provide a roller type contact finger of the character set forth, that is simple in construction, easy to install, inexpensive to manufacture and extremely efiicient in use and service.

This invention also consists in certain other features of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, to be hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and specifically pointed out in the appended claim.

In describing my invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawing wherein like characters denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary view of the interior of a controller showing the application of some of my fingers and the relative positions thereof with respect to the segments.

Figure 2 is a top plan View of a finger constructed in accordance with the present invention with parts in section.

Figure 3 is a side view thereof.

Referring to the drawing in detail, it will be noted that I have illustrated my fingers as being used with a drum type controller for railway systems or the like, but of course it will be understood that they can be employed with any type of electrical apparatus, where they would be useful for the intended purpose.

My invention lies solely in the contact finger, but I have illustrated a support A for the fingers, a rotating element B of the controller, and the segments C carried by the rotating element and which cooperate with my fingers. My finger includes a body l which is reduced intermediate its ends and formed on one wide portion 2 thereof is the mounting plate 3 which is provided with a pair of openings 4 to receive screws or the like for securing the finger to the support A. The fingers are of course resiliently mounted with respect to the support A and the mounting plate may be of the usual brass spring type.

The opposite wide portion 5 terminates in a pair of spaced parallel flat arms 6 having registering openings therein, one of which may be screw threaded as shown, and these openings have mounted therein a pin 1 in the form of a screw that is threaded in the threaded opening and which bridges the arms.

Mounted on the pin 1 is a sleeve 8 that is preferably formed from carbon and surrounding the sleeve 8 for rotation thereon is a roller 9 which is of a width to terminate inwardly of the ends of the sleeve 8, and disposed upon opposite sides of the roller 9 and received by the extending ends of the sleeve 8 are fiber washers IQ of insulating material. The washers act as spacing and wear elements for the roller 9 and prevent the latter from wearing away the arms 6 and cutting through the same. The washers are likewise spaced slightly from the roller 9 so as to allow,

free rotation thereof.

My finger likewise is provided with an adjusting means which may be a screw I I as shown that is threaded in the body, and this structure may be provided with a spring locking means.

From the above description and disclosure of the drawing, it will be obvious that I have provided a contact finger that is in the form of a roller bearing, in that when the segments C contact the roller for wiping engagement therewith, very little friction will be created between the same, therefore premature wearing or burning out of the contact faces of my fingers and the segments is eliminated, and the finger is capable of performing its intended function in an efficient manner for a prolonged period of time.

It is thought from the foregoing description that the advantages and novel features of my invention will be readily apparent.

I desire it to be understood that I may make changes in the construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, provided that such changes fall within the scope of the appended claim.

What I claim is:

A contact finger for use with a drum type controller, and comprising a body including a reduced intermediate portion and wide end portions disposed in substantially parallel planes with the intermediate portion inclined between the same, mounting means included in one wide portion, spaced parallel arms included in the other wide portion, contact means including a carbon sleeve disposed between the arms, means received by the arms for disposing the latter in binding engagement with the sleeve for fixing the sleeve thereto, a metallic roller surrounding the sleeve for rotation thereon, and being of a width to terminate inwardly of the ends of the sleeve, fiber insulating washers surrounding the sleeve upon opposite ends of the roller for spacing the latter from the arms, and means carried by'the body for holding the contact means in adjusted positions.

JAMES I. MICHEL. 

